Posted on

Athelas Online!

Athelas Therapy is excited to offer two new services!

While hands-on massage is not an option due to Covid-19, Web Based Wellness and Self Care Consulting is now available. Using a “treatment room” on Doxy.me, I have a HIPAA compliant space where I can meet with clients via video conference to discuss their muscular complaints and provide self care recommendations. Doxy.me does not require any download or installation. The client only needs internet access with a camera and microphone.

And since so many people are suddenly setting up home offices, and I happen to have a fair amount of training and several years experience in the area, I am also introducing Ergonomics Consulting. This is also an online service, to be conducted via Doxy.me, Zoom, or Skype, though I look forward to doing in-person assessments once quarantine is lifted. I am happy to provide proof of completion of OSHA compliance training in Ergonomics, upon request.

Both of these services are available by appointment (click the Book Now button anywhere on this site).

I know that many people are, or will soon be, hurting financially, so I am offering these services on a pay-what-you-can basis. You’ll see in my service menu an assigned value. If you are able, pay that assigned value. If you are strapped, pay what you can. If you would like to contribute so I can continue to offer this flex-rate option (my income has been completely disrupted, too!) click here.

I sincerely hope, along with all of you, that this season is over quickly, but for now, we must all do what we can. This is my bit.

Namárië.
Be well.

Book Now!
Posted on

The Athelas Response to Coronavirus*

As this new illness spreads, Athelas Therapy would like to take a few minutes to talk about what we’re doing to provide as safe an environment as possible.

  1. This is a one woman operation. I am most likely the only person you will see here. I don’t book back-to-back appointments. You will not be in a waiting room with a dozen other people. At most, you might see my husband. You will see the dog; she will make sure of that.
  2. As always, each client has fresh, clean linens, hands are washed frequently, and any tools used are sanitized.
  3. The guest bathroom is supplied with soap, paper towels, bleach wipes, and paper toilet seat covers.
  4. The bathroom and treatment studio are sanitized between clients.
  5. We ask that shoes be removed in the entryway, to prevent tracking of anything.
  6. We are working on a more in-depth strategy to implement, should the need arise.

*Points 2-4 are known as universal precautions. Other than the toilet seat covers, these have always been the case.

Athelas is a trusted service provider for a number of immuno-compromised clients, and we are confident that we can continue to provide the highest standards of care our industry offers.

Posted on

Got Anxiety?

Nah, everything’s cool…

Wait, everything’s not cool? What up?

*mumble* election *mumble* pandemic *mumble*

<—-Record scratch—->

Did you know that one of the best treatments for stress and anxiety is massage?

Did you know that massage can be as restorative as a good full night’s sleep?

So, instead of pretending things don’t feel chaotic, come get an anxiety treatment that doesn’t create addiction or dependence. Here at Athelas, your therapist and the resident doggy are the only members of the public you will encounter at your appointment, so you’re as safe from bugs* and campaigns as anyone can reasonably expect to be. Text, message, or click the book now button to set up your appointment.

*Note: Yes, we’re located in Corona. No, it has nothing to do with the coronavirus. Or the beer, for that matter. We didn’t name it; we just live here.

Posted on

Ways to Ease Summer Tension

MassageBook offers up a cool infographic of ways to ease tension.

  1. You probably don’t need a meditation app, but somehow, spend time with this. Prayer, meditation, or just silence, this will help.
  2. Everyone I know who has done this has been glad they did! The body wasn’t meant to be in the same position for hours on end. Whether your work is sitting or standing, it is super important that you find a way to move around. Your body will thank you!
  3. There is a wide variety in styles of massage, and different types help in different ways. Don’t get stuck in the chain massage rub-down rut and think that’s what massage is, because massage is SO much more than that.
  4. For most people, stretching is a great way to get moving and keep moving! Some of us can “stretch” and never really feel it. If you’re one of those sorts (I am!), don’t push the stretch, but that doesn’t mean don’t stretch at all.
  5. There are some really useful acupressure points. I know a lot of people think Ancient Chinese Medicine is nonsense, but these things actually work. It’s just a different way of approaching the same information.
  6. Smart phones are great, but they’ve given us several new ways to injure ourselves, and these gadgets are changing the way our minds work and process information. Use the gadgets, but use them wisely and sparingly.
Posted on

Massage and Sleep

Getting good, restorative sleep is one of the best things a person can do for their health. But what happens if sleep is hard to come by? And what can you do about it?

Are you looking for new ways to move past your sleep troubles? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that a third of US adults get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Even worse, chronic lack of sleep can result in diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or even heart disease.

The good news: getting a regular massage might just be the answer — and an enjoyable one at that. For example, one study conducted in China found that 76% of people treated regularly with massage therapy no longer experienced symptoms of insomnia.

From Tuck: Advancing Better Sleep
Read more…
Posted on

25 Reasons

Relieve stress
Relieve postoperative pain
Reduce anxiety
Manage low-back pain
Help fibromyalgia pain

Reduce muscle tension
Enhance exercise performance
Relieve tension headaches
Sleep better
Ease symptoms of depression

Improve cardiovascular health
Reduce pain of osteoarthritis
Decrease stress in cancer patients
Improve balance in older adults
Decrease rheumatoid arthritis pain

Temper effects of dementia
Promote relaxation
Lower blood pressure
Decrease symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Help chronic neck pain

Lower joint replacement pain
Increase range of motion
Decrease migraine frequency
Improve quality of life in hospice care
Reduce chemotherapy-related nausea

Visit AMTA’s site for bibliographic information.